EFFECT OF POTASSIUM AND BORON FERTILIZERS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF POTATO

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of potassium and boron on the growth and yield of potato during Rabi season from November, 2019 to February 2020 at research field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207. The experimental design was Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. There were used nine treatments of as T 1 = N 180 P 30 S 10 Zn 2 Kg/ha; T 2 = T 1 + K (45 Kg/ha) + B (1 Kg/ha); T 3 = T 1 + K (45 Kg/ha) + B (1.5Kg/ha); T 4 = T 1 + K (90 Kg/ha) + B (1 Kg/ha); T 5 = T 1 + K (90 Kg/ha) + B (1.5 Kg/ha); T 6 = T1+ K (135 Kg/ha) + B (1 Kg/ha); T 7 = T 1 + K (135 Kg/ha) + B (1.5 Kg/ha); T 8 = T 1 + K (180 Kg/ha)+ B (1 Kg/ha); T 9 = T 1 + K (180 Kg/ha) + B (1.5 Kg/ha). Data were collected on several parameters like the yield and yield contributing characters, quality parameters and soil parameters. The collected data were statistically analyzed for evaluation of the treatment effect. A significant variation among the treatment in respect of majority of the parameters were observed. The longest plant (73.78 cm), the maximum stem numbers hill (8.67), the highest tuber yield plot -1 -1 (9.33), the maximum number of tubers hill (17.43 kg), the highest tuber yield 34.86 t ha were obtainedfrom T 6 treatment due to different level of potassium and boron application. The highest specific gravity of tuber, the maximum (68.44%) marketable tuber (>20gm) were produced from T 6 treatment. The maximum number of seed tuber (66.13%) between 38 mm to 55 mm, the maximumnumber of tubers for chips (71.52%) were obtained from T 5 treatments due to different level of K and B application. The highest soil pH (6.40), the highest organic carbon (0.85%), the highest organic matter (1.42%), the maximum total nitrogen (0.087%), the highest available phosphorus (28.5 ppm) were recorded from T 5 , T 8, T 8, T 4 , T 3, treatment respectively. The highest exchangeable potassium (0.48%) and the maximum available Sulphur (36.54 ppm) were found from T 6 treatment. The maximum weight loss at storage was recorded from T 1 (Control) treatment whereasthe minimum weight loss was recorded from T 6 treatment. From this study, it may be concluded that Potassium and Boron application along with other inorganic fertilizers had significant positive response for improving yield, quality, and shelf life of potato. -1 -1